Last Day of Summer

We had more stormy weather yesterday and overnight, and I ended up not getting out to canvass. I hope to make up for that today.

This morning got off to a great start and then turned awkward.

First, waking early, I opened the Spelling Bee game and saw the very appropriate pangram right away — EQUINOX — and went on to get all 18 words ABMBS [All By Myself Before Sheila]. That happens a few times a year and is occasion for great rejoicing.

Then I was off to McDonald’s for an Egg McMuffin...

Ryan Smith is one of my favorite local photographers. Here, in a large photo at McDonald’s, he finds a great point of view for the Ellen Axson Wilson statue during a glorious sunset, with the John Ross Bridge lights lit.

...on my way to an early skin doctor appointment. I waited in the parking lot, finishing the McMuffin and waiting for Dr. Harris’s office to open. Finally went in at 7:50 — ten minutes early. How about that?

Oh, what’s that the receptionist is telling me?

Ahhhh. I am ten minutes and one month early. We had written the appointment in September instead of October. Ouch.

I spent a while at home “rolling nuts.” Then I was off on my morning walk, very late.

I stopped at the supposed western landing of Ridge’s Ferry to photograph a large tree the city had cut and a huge Shingle Oak that still stands. I forwarded the pictures to ChatGPT, which estimated that the cut tree showed about 60 to 70 growth rings — not nearly as old as I expected.

But when I uploaded a picture of the Shingle Oak, with my five-foot staff as a guide to scale, ChatGPT estimated its diameter at somewhere around 55–62 inches — an exceptionally large Shingle Oak — and suggested that it might be 150 to 225 years old.

Just maybe it was a sapling — or even a young tree — during the days of Major Ridge.

Sunny

Sophie

Sophie

Looking south from the Armuchee Connector bridge.

Bronze at the stadium

Bronzes at the stadium

Boomer

Looking north from the Turner McCall bridge

Back and Forth on Broad

My walk this morning was late again. To have a cooler walk, I headed down the Riverwalk to the confluence, then over to the shade on the east side of Broad Street. I walked from First Avenue to Sixth Avenue and back at least twice, then back up to Fourth and across to the sunny Riverwalk, the sunny John Ross Bridge, and the sunny walk home on the levee from there.

11,500 steps to start the day.

I'll try to get up the dozen or so yard signs — for Jon Ossoff, Keisha Bottoms, Shawn Harris, or others — that I've promised folks before I start canvassing again this afternoon.

I didn't take many pictures, but I did take several of Rome's interesting old Masonic Temple.

I had not noticed the assemblage of protrusions atop the City Auditorium. 

I knew there was a camera up there... 

...but what are those six disks?

The John Ross Bridge was back to normal after the tenth-anniversary One Table event last night.

This trapped log will begin collecting more flotsam soon, I bet.

And here is the (to me) unattractive West Third skyline.

After the Storm

After the hailstorm last night I wanted a river walk to check out the situation. I only walked as far as the bench between the two bridges-- about 10,000 steps. But got 18,500 for the day. (6.9 mi.)

I heard several interesting birds. I saw a Song Sparrow, a Great Blue Heron, a Cardinal, a Carolina Wren. When I heard drumming I turned on Merlin to see if could ID the woodpecker. Turned out a Red-Headed Woodpecker was calling between drums.  Merlin also heard three other woodpeckers: Red-Bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker. Other interesting birds: American Kestrel, Great Blue Heron, Northern Waterthrush, White-eyed Vireo, Eastern Phoebe. And of course many regulars - Carolina chickadee, Carolina Wren, Northern Cardinal, Carolina Wren, Blue Jay, American Crow, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Mockingbird.

The house on the corner of Eleventh and Avenue A lost at least one big tree and maybe two.

 

A look at the tree debris from upstream.

Akira

Bud-Er

Great Blue Heron in flight

Sunny

Turnsole (Heliotropium indicum)

The Berry College president's home across the pasture.

A little Chihuahua or similar dog has its own trailer.

This machine is used to power...

...this monster muncher.

Later in the day and before the One Table event I canvassed for our Democratic candidates in the Smith Road area. I had a very good response and was especially pleased that one 18 year old young man promised to register before the October 5 deadline. I went by the office and picked up signs for Jon, Keisha, and Shonna. I'll pick up some Shawn signs at his HQ tomorrow then return to Smith Road area.

Late tonight while we were watching TV it stormed again and we noticed that there was lots of water hitting the window near the TV and some water oozing in around one window pane! We need to call Leaf Filter again.

Tenth Annual One Table

The "VistaBooth" took our picture.

We enjoyed getting to know Priscilla and Valeri who are students a Georgia Higblands studying business and nursing. 

We were glad to have our friend Ann Pullen join us.

L-R: Elaina Beeman, Daniel? (new associate pastor at First Methodist), Valerie Loner, Vincent Mendes and his daughter.

Jamie and Erin Stine

Vincent and Mary Beth Gregoire

Clockwise Riverwalk Again

 

Out the door right at 7 a.m.

Daylight comes

I know I have way too many pictures of the Berry farm, especially this silo.

Ripkin and Raleigh

"Them cotton fields back home"

The Oostanaula from the Armuchee Bypass bridge.

Great Blue Heron

Jethro

Otto & Hugo

The clearing and mulching of ingrowth has really opened the view around Chieftains Museum

Chieftains Museum 

The Oostanaula from the Turner McCall Bridge

Home again -- 14,500 steps, over 5 miles.